I am designing a dungeon created by an ancient wizard, and i would like it to be set up requiring (probably) the spells of 1-3rd level (common spells only) to bypass various traps thoughout the dungeon. These traps however should be simple enough that they can also be bypassed by clever means, or those same spells cast by the party. Spells such as waterbreathing, levitate, etc. For example, to get from one room to another you have to swim through a water filled tunnel, a wizard could easily use water breathing, but a strong swimmer might be able to get past as well. What is a common bevy that could be cast/known by an 8th level wizard? What traps could be bypassed by these spells or by non-magic solutions could bypass these.

ray of frosta metal wall sconce holding a burning candle disguises a metal cylinder containing a volatile liquid which sprays through the flame of the candle, igniting, and hitting the pc with an effect similar to alchemist's fire. the wizard casts ray of frost on the cylinder as he walks by, lowering the pressure in the cylinder enough to prevent its discharge. non-magical work-around: disable the pressure plate that triggers the discharge, or, more simply, put out the candle. if they put the candle out but get hit by the spray add an additional d6 of damage to any fire damage they take until the liquid evaporates, say an hour.

Now my brain is filled with images of Bigby's Smacking Hand, which smacks you whenever you try to get close to the gold, or maybe Bigby's Flicking Finger. And you are greeted by Bigby's Welcome Hand, which shakes a finger at you if you try to pass it.

The first thing that springs to mind is fireball as a third level spell. Have a corridor blocked off by a thicket of bamboo-like material that grows very quickly. A fireball will simply kill the plant outright, but machete tactics won't work as it regrows too fast. However, an escape artist check or any of a variety of druid/ranger abilities will work as well.

Also, to borrow from Harry Potter - a room full of rapidly-moving keys of some kind - in fact, they're clocks. There's a bit of doggerel scrawled on the wall - something to the tune of "You jackasses can't leave until the clock shows midnight." And these little clocks are flying through the air. And if you grab the right one and put it in the slot on the door, it opens. If you grab the wrong one, ow! The solution? Haste on yourself, so you're sped up to clock speed enough to see them, read them, and casually grab the right one, or slow on the clocks.

A key, locked in a cage on the ceiling. The key opens the next door. (It also opens its own cage, but that's neither here nor there). The important point is: it opens the next TWO locked doors (unlock the door, open it, and immediately find another locked door). So, if you knock the door you just wasted a spell, but if you knock the cage the key drops into your hand. Maybe a clever player can use mage hand to use the key on its own cage, I dunno.